The room was shrouded in darkness, the only interruption being the rhythmic sound of the alarm bells.
"Ding... Ding... Ding..."
With a series of alarm bells blaring loudly, echoing through the room like urgent sirens, Alex was jolted awake abruptly.
His heart pounded in his chest, and sweat soaked through his pajamas. Disoriented and dazed, he struggled to make sense of his surroundings.
Blinking in the dim light of his shabby room, Alex realized that he was lying on his bed.
The familiar, worn-out furniture and peeling wallpaper served as stark reminders of the life he had left behind.
'But it couldn't be... hadn't he just been buried beneath tons of rubble in a collapsing dungeon?' Alex thought.
Frantically, he glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. The red digits glared back at him: [07:30 AM ,March 19, 2021].
As the grogginess of sleep slowly dissipated, the truth settled in like a heavy stone. Alex was no longer in the year 2030. Somehow, inexplicably, he had been thrust nine years into the past.
His mind raced, attempting to grasp the implications of his newfound reality. He had been brought back to the day he had been waiting for his entire life, the day he was supposed to undergo the Hunter Association's test to determine if he had the potential to become a hunter.
The memories flooded back with painful clarity —the events of his previous life, the betrayal, the dungeons, and the ultimate price he had paid.
He remembered the faces of those responsible for his demise, the individuals who had left him for dead in that accursed dungeon.
Rage simmered within him, a burning desire for vengeance that had fueled his every thought for years. But now, he was in a different time, a different place, and with an opportunity he had never expected.
Alex's hands trembled as he reached for the alarm clock, silencing its blaring alarm.
He couldn't explain how he had ended up here on this fateful day, but one thing was clear—his rebirth had granted him a second chance at life, and he had no intention of squandering it.
Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, Alex tried to make sense of the situation.
He remembered the enigmatic voice, the voice that had offered him another chance—the "Dungeon System".(Refer chapter 1)
It had been the lifeline he had clung to in his dying moments, the promise of a new beginning.
With determination burning in his eyes, Alex focused his thoughts, attempting to establish a connection with the enigmatic system that had chosen him.
'System,' he thought, unsure of how this communication would work. 'Can you hear me?'
For a moment, there was nothing but silence, and doubt crept into Alex's mind.
'Had it all been a hallucination, a product of his dying thoughts?' Before he could fully process his emotions, a voice echoed within his mind.
**
Alex's eyes widened, and he instinctively clutched his head, as if trying to block out the disembodied voice that echoed within his consciousness.
"What... What is this?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. The world had taken an inexplicable turn, and he was thrust into a reality beyond his comprehension.
A blue panel materialized in front of his eyes, its holographic interface hovering in the air.
It displayed various statistics and information, including his current status, mana levels, and an array of options that left him bewildered.
**
[
Name: Alex Thorn
Age: 21
Class: Dungeon Ruler (???)
Level:1 (EXP: 0/100)
HP (Hit-Point): 20
MP (Mana-Point): 10
STR (Strength): 5
AGL (Agility): 4
INT (Intelligence): 3
Skills: None
Shop: Locked
AP (Attribute point): 0
SP (Skill point): 0
DP (Dungeon point): 0
]
The information left him with more questions than answers.
He didn't understand how any of this was possible, but one thing was clear—the voice, the panel, and everything that had transpired so far were interconnected.
Alex hesitated for a moment, uncertainty gnawing at him. Then, with a cautious tone, he thought to himself, 'Who are you? What's happening?'
****
Alex's mind raced as he grappled with the implications of the System's words. A second chance? It was something he had yearned for, a chance to rewrite his tragic past and seek vengeance against those who had wronged him.
But he couldn't ignore the countless questions that swirled within his mind.
'How? who? and Why have I been brought back in time?' he asked the System.
****
'Is this creator of yours a constellation?' Alex asked the System.
**<...>**
With the silence as the answer, Alex's guess was right.
As per Alex's knowledge, Constellations are cosmic entities. Some refer to them as 'God', but no one knows exactly what they are and why they grant power to human beings. But one thing that Alex knew: those hunters chosen by the Constellations are stronger than normal hunters.
Some Constellations were benevolent, while others harbored malicious intent.
So one may ask what they gain by all of this. 'They coveted believers, souls that would grant them power and longevity.' As Earth became a stage for their cosmic games, these Constellations vied for the loyalty of mortals.
In his previous life, the Constellations began their elaborate charades, manipulating events on Earth to garner followers.
Some offered benevolence, granting miraculous blessings to those who pledged allegiance. Others sowed discord, manipulating human affairs with ruthless cunning.
But in the end, everything was manipulated by them. For these reasons, Alex hated Constellations. In his previous life, he did not choose any Constellation as a backer.
At the time when Alex was deep in thought, the System's voice resounded in his mind as it read Alex's mind.
**
Alex's brow furrowed as he struggled to comprehend the cryptic response.
He knew that demanding too much information could be counterproductive, so he decided to focus on more immediate matters.
'System, explain to me what the Dungeon System is and provide all the details that I should know' Alex asked the System.
As the System was about to explain all the details to Alex, the door to his room creaked open.
He
turned to see his younger brother, John, standing there with a concerned expression on his face.
"Brother?" John called out softly. "Are you okay?"
Tears welled up in Alex's eyes as he gazed at his adoptive little brother, John Thorn, who was going to pass away in the next six months alongside their parents.
Despite his parents adopting John when he was just five years old, Alex loved his brother deeply, and he had always made sure that John never felt like an adoptive sibling.
While Alex was lost in his thoughts, he snapped back to reality when he heard his brother calling him again.
"Brother, are you listening to me?" John asked, this time in a louder voice.
"Yeah, I can hear you just fine," Alex assured John.
John inquired, "Are you crying, brother?"
"No, no, it's probably just some dust," Alex replied with a quick grin. "By the way, why are you up so early?"
"Mother is calling you for breakfast, and don't forget, you have that appointment at the Hunter Association," John reminded him.
"Alright," Alex said, giving John a playful pat on the back. "You go ahead and grab some breakfast. I'll catch up in a bit. Just need to hit the shower."
With overwhelming emotions surging within him, Alex knew that he had only six months to alter their fate, to rescue their parents and his younger brother from the looming catastrophe.
The task ahead was formidable, but he was no longer the powerless individual of his past.
As the host of the Dungeon System, he stood prepared to confront the trials ahead, fueled by a burning determination to protect his family and change their destiny.